“Now is the time to reinvest in arts education” Barack Obama

In his 2008 Arts Policy campaign, Barack Obama expressed his vision to re-invest in arts education in order to foster and sustain the American trademark of creativity and innovation. There has not been any official studies from any federal institution in this field since more than ten years, therefore the “President’s Committee on the Arts and Humanities” (PCAH) conducted an exhaustive research on arts education in the USA. The report has been released one month ago and shows very interesting results confirming the benefits of art education for pupils. Students receiving arts education are more engaged in their classes and a more eager to graduate and attend school and furthermore, they have better tests results.

Arts education has always been described as a value for personnal development, self-reflection and individual enrichment. However, the President’s Committee see a further potential in arts education, as a tool for responding to bigg educational challenges: “It is not a flower, but a wrench.”

Let’s take example of this initiative in Europe!

The full report is available on the White House Blog

Michelle Obama is the honorary chair of the PCAH and here you can watch a video where she speaks about the importance of the non-formal learning in art and humanities education at the ceremony of the PCAH’S “National Arts and Humanities Youth Program Awards” .

 

by Floriane Cottet

WGY Committee member